Nabil Hallaq
Director of International Relations, Arab International Center for Communication and Solidarity
22 August 2026, Beirut
In Gaza, southern Lebanon, and many parts of eastern Lebanon and the suburbs of the capital, Beirut, the Israeli attacks, supported by the U.S. administration, have left behind unprecedented environmental destruction. This devastation includes the contamination of groundwater and surface-water sources, the accumulation of tens of millions of tons of rubble and toxic waste, as well as the widespread destruction of vegetation and agricultural land and the burning of thousands of mature trees by incendiary munitions and white phosphorus.
Environmental Damage in the Gaza Strip
The Collapse of the Water and Sewage System
The cessation of wastewater treatment plants has resulted in hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of untreated sewage flowing daily into the sea and onto the streets, while also mixing with groundwater.
The Accumulation of Rubble and Debris
Bombardment operations have generated an estimated 40 to 60 million tons of rubble, mixed with hazardous materials, remnants of war, and unexploded objects. This poses a serious threat of long-term air and water pollution.
Desertification and Land Degradation
Military operations have destroyed vast proportions of agricultural land and tree cover, including olive trees. This has caused the soil to lose much of its ecological structure and increased the risks of soil erosion and flooding.
Environmental Damage in Lebanon
Destruction of Forest and Agricultural Cover
Airstrikes and forest fires resulting from intense bombardment have damaged thousands of hectares of forested areas and natural ecosystems, while tens of thousands of mature trees, including olive and citrus trees, have been burned.
Soil and Water Contamination
Studies issued by the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, together with field reports, have revealed elevated levels of heavy metals and residues associated with white phosphorus in areas of southern Lebanon. This poses a serious threat to the agricultural season, the safety of crops, and soil fertility for years to come.
Rubble and Construction Waste
Extensive damage to residential areas has left millions of cubic meters of rubble in villages and towns along the border, creating a major environmental and economic burden for the process of recovery and reconstruction.
An International Initiative to Address the Environmental Consequences
The Arab International Center for Communication and Solidarity, in cooperation with international institutions and international figures specializing in environmental affairs, and through an international initiative that also involves international human-rights organizations, is working to bring this issue to the highest levels of international forums.
The objective is to work toward protecting human life, livestock, and agricultural resources in Lebanon, Gaza, and every other area affected by the Israeli aggression, as well as to pursue legal action against those who contributed to facilitating the bombardment of cities and villages, the destruction and bulldozing of agricultural lands, the release of toxic substances, and the use of white phosphorus munitions, which are prohibited under international law in certain circumstances.
The environmental destruction caused by armed conflict is not merely a consequence of physical devastation. It threatens the foundations upon which human communities depend: clean water, fertile soil, agricultural production, forests, biodiversity, and public health.
Addressing these consequences therefore requires urgent international attention, independent environmental assessments, long-term monitoring, accountability, and comprehensive environmental rehabilitation.
The protection of human life cannot be separated from the protection of the environment on which that life depends.
